Home Decor!

Apparently one of the side effects to growing up and watching a lot of decorating shows on basic cable, is the urge to decorate your own apartment. Sadly, it's getting to the point where I wish I lived in a two bedroom so I could keep going. I have to remind myself not to pile too much stuff on the walls, or else instead of nicely decorated, it'll look crazy-person cluttered.

Please stop me if my apartment starts to look crazy-person cluttered.

The bathroom is still a work-in-progress, but I did end up finding an awesome way to store my shampoo bottles and such. All this needs now is a larger rubber ducky for the top shelf :)

I'm super happy with how my bedroom turned out. I just bought new curtains today, so once I get the black-out blind up, I'll add them and then my bedroom will be just about done (well, except the two new dressers I want... and the shelf from Ikea... and bamboo for my vase...)

Years ago, my sister went to France and brought me back six beautiful prints of my favourite tapestry series (what? Don't you have a favourite tapestry series?) called La Dame A La Licorne. Anyway, now they're finally framed and hanging on my wall (excuse the flash glare)

And they have a friend!

This little owl is actually a book end, but I could only find one (he was on sale) and when I put him on my shelf, I couldn't see his cute owly self, so instead I hung him on my wall!

And finally, today's decorating question: What do you prefer, leaf or rectangle?

And this isn't all my decorating creations! These are just the pictures I could take without having to clean up my messy apartment ;)

Man, I feel growned up!

Rant

I'm not sure if you've heard or not, but Amazon.ca has changed their delivery service to UPS.

I'm sure this is great if you're a stay-at-home hermit, who doesn't sleep, shower, or generally leave the house, but if you're a regular person who, oh I don't know, goes to work, it means you'll never get your package.

Here's how ordering from Amazon used to work:
1. Place your order
2. Wait a few days
3. Receive a notice that Canada Post could not deliver your package
4. Pick up your package the next day from your closest post office

Here's how it works now:
1. Place your order
2. Wait a few days
3. Get a message on your phone at 3:00pm saying UPS tried (and failed) to deliver your package because you were at work. Wait a day.
4. Get a message on your phone at 4:00pm saying that UPS tried again (and failed again) to deliver your package because you were at work.
5. Seriously contemplate staying home from work so you get your damned package. Decide a paycheck is worth more in the long run than books.
6. Get a message on your phone at 4:00pm saying that UPS tried again (and failed again) to deliver your package because you were at work. This is their final attempt.
7. Phone UPS to find out where the hell your package is. Get put on hold for 30 minutes. You can't even enjoy the bad music because you're interrupted every 10 seconds with "Your call is important to us" although clearly it isn't or else someone would have answered you by now.
8. Have a 30 second conversation with a human on where the depot is. You have 5 days to pick up your package.
9. Wait for a day off (that's a weekday if you're lucky) to drive the 40 minutes across town to the depot to pick up your package.
10. Wait in line for 30 minutes.
11. Finally give your tracking number to a person, who vanishes into the back.
12. Wait another 15 minutes for the person to reemerge with your package.
13. Drive the 40 minute back home with your package.

Hooray! Amazon has made it so much easier for you to get your mail! Thanks, Amazon!

I'm switching to Chapters/Indigo. At least I'll only have to drive 5 minutes to the Shopper's Drug Mart to get my package with them!


(Incidentally, you can have UPS drop off your package at your nearest UPS store ... for a monthly fee. Seriously)

Knitting - On The Needles

So it appears as if I have a rather severe case of start-itis, meaning that there are a bunch of projects that I want to start and complete.

(note: photos are not the things I'm making ... well, they are, but their not the exact ones I'm making. Meaning I'm stealing the photos from other places to show you what the heck I'm talking about)

1. Simone - flare sleeved cowl sweater

My first attempt at a me-size sweater. I'm working on a boring part right now, just straight knitting the back for a good long time. Still, I'm stupidly proud that I'm making a sweater, so I can still make myself knit the boring parts.


2. Proposition - entrelac gloves

Another first - my first entrelac attempt. Ok, so far I've only done the 10 rows of ribbing at the bottom but I plan on knitting more tonight and possible doing the entrelac part tomorrow. I'm excited to try this out. Entrelac is, I think, one of the most beautiful designs you can do with yarn. And keeping that in mind, once I finish the gloves, I'll try this:

3. Lady Eleanor - entrelac stole

Pictures of this made out of Noro Taiyo (which is what I'll be using) made me squee out loud. Good thing I was at home! I'm absolutely dying to wrap this around me, so I'm hoping that the entrelac gloves won't be the end of me and entrelac ;)


4. Clapotis - rite of passage

Since nearly all my knitterly friends have either made (or are making) a Clapotis, I feel like it's a rite of passage for knitters to make one. A kind of fiber bar mitzvah (or bat mitzvah, I suppose). So once I find the elusive last skein of Noro Taiyo that I need to have enough to make a full size Clapotis, I will undertake this rite of passage myself!

And yes, I do have a gorgeous Clapotis that I adore, made by the wonderful Heather, but I feel like I should make my own to prove to the world that I Am A Knitter :)


5. Patchwork Trio Afghan - for Mom

 

Finally, the last project I want to tackle, is this afghan for Mom. She said she would knit part of it, so it'll be a joint venture. I just need to wait for the 26 balls of yarn I ordered to come in. This is going to take me a loooong time to make.


Well, it looks like I'm going to be busy for quite a while. Who's up for a Stitch 'n Bitch?

Mourning

You are dead to me
A stone cold corpse
Beneath the earth

Your honeyed words
So sweet in their insincerity
Do not reach me now
Buried beneath 30 feet of dirt
60 layers of silence

Yet here I stand at your grave
In mourning for a statue
Breathtaking but selfish
Those actions meaning more
Than honeyed words could convey

I was the worm that now
Crawls through your flesh.
I was to you a trifle
You were to me my heart

I mourn as the worms
Pick at your skin.
I struggle to restore to my life
Through the void you left.

I wish the grave were empty
Although I placed you there
With my own two hands

Stripping you of your life as you did me

I live and you remain dead